The invention relates to a device for collecting and releasing saliva for diagnostic purposes.
In the prior art, there are devices and methods, respectively, known in the field of art. So in DE 36 32 303 A1 a chewable, absorbent, elastic, and inert profiled body is placed in the mouth of a proband until said body is penetrated with saliva. Then the body is placed in a centrifuge tube which, at its bottom, is provided with openings through which the saliva escapes in the course of centrifugation so that it is available for further examinations. In EP 0 520 408 A1 there is described a sample device for collecting saliva and other fluid exudations that comprises a sample receptacle with an indicator and a reaction fluid. A special embodiment of the sample receptacle described there is provided with a body made of a porous mass which is adapted to collect the sample fluid and the reagent fluid and which can be squeezed out by a plunger. Due to the fact that the desired chemical reaction or the application of a buffer solution for the saliva sample is carried out within the entire device, in which simultaneously a sample analysis has to be performed, the device design is comparatively expensive so that it is too cost-intensive for a one-off use only. Similar devices have been described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,148, WO 95/02996, and WO 94/04078.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for collecting and releasing saliva that permits a simple and safe handling and is designed as a disposable unit, in particular for diagnostic purposes, whereby the risk of contamination both of the sample to be collected and for the personnel handling the device is substantially obviated.
The object is realized by the features of the first claim. Advantageous embodiments are covered by the dependent claims.